Whistleblowers / Qui Tam

Protecting Arizona workers and government contractors who blow the whistle on employer foul play

Whistleblower actions that help the government recover funds from companies which have cheated them out of money are formally called “qui tam” actions. These actions must be filed under the False Claims Act.

At Plattner-Verderame, P.C., our Phoenix qui tam lawyers have the experience and skills to guide Arizona whistleblowers through the litigation process. If you work for a company that is defrauding the government, you may be entitled to a percentage of the funds for blowing the whistle. Our attorneys can help you through the process of filing a qui tam action, to ensure that justice is served.

How does a “qui tam” action work?

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) relies on workers to help them uncover companies that are cheating or acting dishonestly with regard to all types of government contracts. Businesses are required to act truthfully when they commit to doing work for the government. They cannot supply inferior goods, charge for services they did not render, overcharge, charge for unnecessary services, provide false credentials or information, or benefit in any way that does not match the contract terms.

In order to recover lost revenue and stop illegal actions against the government, laws were enacted to reward whistleblowers for having the courage to notify the Justice Department that fraud is taking place. Workers who successfully reveal fraud are entitled to a percentage (normally about 15% to 30%) of the amount recovered. The reward amounts can be quite substantial – sometimes millions of dollars depending on the nature and degree of the fraud.

Types of qui tam whistleblower claims

The main law that authorizes government whistleblower actions is the False Claims Act. The law was enacted in 1863 to monitor fraud involving wartime government contracts. Today, the False Claims Act can be used to disclose fraud involving:

Defense contracts

Medicare fraud, including Part D fraud

Medicaid fraud

Pharmaceuticals

Health care

Energy

Disaster relief

The financial sector

In False Claims Act cases, the wrongdoers may have to pay three times the amount of the fraud, plus penalties. Arizona is the third largest state for government contracts, which means the opportunity for fraud and for whistleblower actions is very high.

In most whistleblower actions, the case has to be precisely prepared before it is presented to the DOJ. The DOJ can agree to intervene with the claim, or they can deny it. While there is a greater likelihood of success if the DOJ agrees to intervene (and we work towards getting the intervention approval), our lawyers may also be able to bring the whistleblower claim directly on behalf of the employee if the DOJ denies the claim.

Additional actions

There are other laws that allow for whistleblower actions too. These laws include fraud against:

Types of Cases We Handle

Do not report your employer before contacting an Arizona qui tam lawyer

There are many strict requirements for filing whistleblower cases. The whistleblower must be the first person to disclose the wrong; the wrong cannot already be public; whistleblower cases require documented evidence to prove the fraud. At Plattner Verderame, P.C., our Phoenix whistleblower attorneys understand which laws apply, what elements of proof are required, and what reward is likely. We also have experience working with the DOJ. Please phone us at 602-783-8793 or call toll free at 888-657-3573 to schedule a consultation. We can also be reached confidentially through our contact form.

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Our Testimonials

Beverly S.

"The experience I had with Plattner-Verderame was a very positive one. My personal attorney was Randall Hinsch. Both Randy and his legal assistant Michelle Quillan were wonderful and always kept me up to date on any progress. I never felt like they forgot about me. They were skillful, professional and just very decent nice people. I would most definitely highly recommend them."

Beverly S.

Plattner Verderame PC

5.0

2017-04-23T17:02:45+00:00

Beverly S.

"The experience I had with Plattner-Verderame was a very positive one. My personal attorney was Randall Hinsch. Both Randy and his legal assistant Michelle Quillan were wonderful and always kept me up to date on any progress. I never felt like they forgot about me. They were skillful, professional and just very decent nice people. I would most definitely highly recommend them."

https://plattner-verderame.com/blog/testimonials/beverly-s/

Joan R.

"If you are looking for highly intelligent, experienced, results oriented lawyers who specialize in injury and wrongful death, I found them with Randall Hinsch and Richard Plattner of the Plattner Verderame law firm. Randy understood my needs, walked me through at my pace and made me feel comfortable through the whole process. Best of all, they helped me obtain the justice deserved. I was in direct contact with them the whole time and my case was solved without having to go to trial. I would highly recommend them."

Joan R.

Plattner Verderame PC

5.0

2017-04-29T19:01:44+00:00

Joan R.

"If you are looking for highly intelligent, experienced, results oriented lawyers who specialize in injury and wrongful death, I found them with Randall Hinsch and Richard Plattner of the Plattner Verderame law firm. Randy understood my needs, walked me through at my pace and made me feel comfortable through the whole process. Best of all, they helped me obtain the justice deserved. I was in direct contact with them the whole time and my case was solved without having to go to trial. I would highly recommend them."